1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable lawn swings and more specifically it relates to a portable lawn swing which has a relatively stable frame which is of a simple construction and lightweight for transportability purposes.
A common problem with conventional lawn swings is the frames require the use of a plurality of cross-members on the lower support structure to maintain stability during operation. Another common problem with conventional lawn swings is the user's legs will sometimes become lodged between the lower portion of the swing and the ground. Another problem with conventional lawn swings is that when moving the lawn swing to a different location in the user's yard, the chair portion of the lawn swing will move about uncontrollably. Hence, there is a need to overcome the shortcomings in the prior art lawn swings.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are numerous portable lawn swing devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 686,420 to Powell; U.S. Pat. No. 1,215,110 to Carey; U.S. Pat. No. 497,258 to Wilcox; U.S. Pat. No. 141,676 to Cosme; U.S. Pat. No. 531,472 to Shorey; U.S. Pat. No. 678,336 to Gagnon; U.S. Pat. No. 682,672 to Cotner; U.S. Pat. No. 715,668 to Kiddie; U.S. Pat. No. 736,822 to Cotner; U.S. Pat. No. 769,299 to Boyer; U.S. Pat. No. 862,686 to Wallace; U.S. Pat. No. 1,128,709 to Miesner; U.S. Pat. No. 1,156,189 to Stohler; U.S. Pat. No. 1,196,375 to Medartall are illustrative of such prior art.
Powell (U.S. Pat. No. 686,420) discloses a combined swinging chair and crib. Powell discloses a frame pivotally supporting a pair of chairs. The frame of Powell comprises a pair of lower cross-members attached to four legs. An additional pair of end members are attached to a respective pair of the four legs to prevent rotation of the pair of lower cross-members with respect to each other. Powell does not disclose a lower frame structure which does not require the use of a pair of end members to prevent rotation of the pair of cross-members as taught by the present invention. Powell further does not disclose a means for preventing the user's legs from becoming entangled between the swing and the ground as taught by the present invention. Further, Powell does not disclose a means for preventing pivoting of the swing during relocation as taught by the present invention.
Carey (U.S. Pat. No. 1,215,110) discloses a swing pivotally attached to an axle between a pair of permanently mounted poles. Carey does not disclose a portable lawn swing as taught by the present invention.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they do not have a relatively stable frame which is of a simple construction and lightweight for transportability purposes. The prior art is either constructed of a complex structure or does not prevent the user's legs from becoming entangled between the swing and the ground. Further, the prior art does not disclose a means for preventing pivoting of the swing during relocation of the lawn swing.
In these respects, the portable lawn swing according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus which has a relatively stable frame of a relatively simple construction and lightweight for transportability purposes.